Cinderford to step up in crunch home decider versus Esher
Saturday 25 April National 1 — KO 3pm
With two bonus point wins back to back, Cinderford is perfectly poised to make club headlines in gaining its fourth bonus point win in succession (since 2005) and most importantly secure National 1 safety for the Forest club. Testing our every nerve, the anticipation and excitement for this grand finale is simply huge. The players are on form and the pundits predict a home win – the game not to be missed in Gloucestershire this weekend.
After a dramatic win last weekend that chalked up another club stat in securing their first-time away win at Macclesfield, Cinderford fittingly closes the season on home soil to play Esher Rugby in front of a passionate and certainly ‘noisy’ home crowd. With just one point separating the Foresters from the relegation zone, there is still everything to play for and the players are determined to fight for what they deserve until the final whistle at the Beavis Memorial Ground. Esher Rugby, like others in this highly competitive league, play a fluid, keep-the-ball game, which can be very effective with the ability to rack up points quickly. Sitting at 9th in the table, they have had mixed results recently and will come at Cinderford hard with Ricky Nebbett preparing his team to perform right to the end of the season. But the same is very true for the Forester side.
Said Nic Corrigan earlier in the week: “We’re certainly in a position where destiny is in our own hands but we have to take hold of the game from the start. We are well prepared coming into this last fixture but we have to deliver and have had an intense week in training. We have to eradicate the errors and carelessness that emerged in the Macclesfield game, where we were very near to being our own worst enemies. It’s the game wins that count and Old Albanian are one ahead in that respect. We simply have to focus and score four tries and win.”
Just a few changes in the team this week sees Sam Underhill start in the back row and Roger Birkin move to the bench. Alex Frame starts at scrum half on rotation with Danny Pointon who moves to the bench. Available Lloyd Evans also makes a return to the squad. Also well done also to Cinderford United and their terrific ‘last play of the game’ victory here last weekend over Jersey Athletic, a great performance in the Zoo Shield league.
Special Price! In anticipation of a big crowd and following to support the team all the way, Cinderford acknowledges #SurvivalSaturday with a great offer. Just £5 entry and under 16s for free. All welcome.
Cinderford Squad v Esher
1. Chris Bundy
2. Luke Cole
3. Elliot Booley
4. Milo Reynolds
5. Ed King
6. Sam Underhill
7. George Mills
8. George Evans
9. Alex Frame
10. Callum Sheedy
11. Stef Hawley
12. Jack Adams
13. Sam Hanks
14. Leo Fielding
15. Mike Wilcox (capt)
16. Joe Smart
17. Sam Wilkes
18. Roger Birkin
19. Danny Pointon
20. Rob Winchle
21. Marcus Brown
22. Lloyd Evans